If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You will be required to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Unfortunately, I don't see any real need for a thickness planer when using the HD pre-finished wood. Since it's the pre-finished type, using a planer on it will basically remove all finish...kind of not worth buying the wood at that point!

I would recommend you find a new source for the wood, even rough lumber red oak planks. That way, you'll have to get the thickness planer, and you can learn about staining and finishing too!!

I put it all back together better than before. There\'s lots of leftover parts.

Comment

I guess it would depend on what you plan to do, but the planer would most likely be used on more projects (at least that's the way it is in my case). Probably the bigger question is, how much do you want to spend? The current issue of "American Woodworker" has a benchtop planer comparison article. Not so much a review, but a comparison of specs and features and their favorites in each price range.
If you're wanting to get into "fine woodworking" then you definatly need a planer, IMO.

Comment

I've found a nice Delta 22-560 planer that is an older model but new and the dealer is offering me a good deal on it. Specs seem good and it has a cutter head locking leaver to help with snipe. Anyone have any comments on this Delta?

Comment

Maybe i'm misssing something but I have to ask. If you are making raised panel doors and buying pre-finished wood, what happens when you machine the raised edge of the panel? You will have the swept area all the way around the panel that will have no finish. Plus, when you do the style and rail edge and end cuts, you will again have no finish. Plus, those joints will have to be sanded flush, so the finish goes away there too.

If you are going to use a router for making the raised panels, you will need a multispeed model as the RP cutters for routers are NOT designed for use above 10,000rpm. If you put one in a single speed router, you will loose body parts real fast. Plus the router base must be big enough to house the cutter. I used to use (and still have) my 1/2" shank RP cutter that I used in my 5 speed 3hp Porter Cable. You MUST have the proper router mounted in a solid table to avoid loosing flesh! LOL

Personally, I'd buy a surface planer before a band saw. I RARELY use my BS but when gluing up my raised panel pieces, I can run them through my DeWalt 12" planer or use my bigger 26" drum sander for really wide doors.

If you decide on buying a benchtop planer, look for one with the new spiral cutters. They cut awesome and give a supurb finish. The straight blade planers are good but kinda outdated now since the spirals came on the scene.

Back "in the day", I just grabbed the belt sander and went to work sanding down the glued up panels.

I made one similar to the above machine, it is basically a horizontal sharper, you can make a complete panel door in jsut a few Min's, and safely,

RBI also makes a planer copied off the old Belsaw designed, the wood master is a Belsaw copy as well.

I do like the planer for making the rails and stiles and the face frames for cabinets all the same width, and thickness, not a necessary machine but a nice machine to have, a jointer is a good machine, but it's job is to straighten a piece of stock, not to make it parallel. after making it straight or flat then the thickness planer is needed to make it parallel.

Push sticks/blocks Save Fingers
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good."
attributed to Samuel Johnson
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PUBLIC NOTICE: Due to recent budget cuts, the rising cost of electricity, gas, and oil...plus the current state of the economy............the light at the end of the tunnel, has been turned off.

Comment

Does woodmaster have a bench top model? What do you like most about yours?

As far as I know no they don't build a benchtop model.As to what I like about it...Its built to last.Near all expendable parts you can buy at the local bearing house..pulleys, bearings, belts near every part that will wearout is off the shelf.The main motor is generic not something built specially for that model/company.The variable speed feed can save you a lot of trouble with hard or soft woods,it will crawl or go at near light speed.The blades are generic and can be sharpened easily..I sharpen my own ..most times with just a touchup with a makita wet hone.You can sand with it to a finished size.You can set it up with ganged saw blades to rip to with.Its easy to repair or adjust..neither of which I have had to do after the 1st setup.You can buy molding cutters for it..some are generic you can order from woodmaster rbi or belsaw, if you need a custom profile for a molding you can order it.They are not light a 12'' is around 400 lbs..i suggest big casters attached to it..I didn't buy their caster kit just did my own thing.
I guess what I like most is that its not a throw away chinese tool it can and will last thru generations with only a tiny bit of care.And at 5hp i doubt you can stall it in any wood creating a finish youd display.
I started planing with an old craftsman that had no power feed..then got a 12'' old american made with a single speed powerfeed..both were mistakes to buy once you use a variable speed planer.I do not think it matters which brand you buy..a woodmaster an rbi or a belsaw all use the same design.I really like 5hp at the cutter head.Its 1 of the few big tools that I'll be shipping when I move to another country.Yes it costs much more to buy initially but its easily fixable anywhere in the world.I've had mine going on 15 years and only sharpened blades..perhaps 50k feet of planed wood thru it with only buying 2 sets of blades that have been honed many times.Btw the only thing I didnt like on it from original was the infeed roller which i ended up changing to the steel type.
Hope this helps you ...Sam

Comment

Maybe i'm misssing something but I have to ask. If you are making raised panel doors and buying pre-finished wood, what happens when you machine the raised edge of the panel? You will have the swept area all the way around the panel that will have no finish. Plus, when you do the style and rail edge and end cuts, you will again have no finish. Plus, those joints will have to be sanded flush, so the finish goes away there too.

Mark

Oh, I meant lumber that is already planed to dimension not pre-finished with stain or finish. I was thinking once I use the biscuit jointer and glue up the panel then I could run it through a planer and go from there without too much sanding.